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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> Lancashire and Merseyside -> Plex Moss, Downholland Moss, Altcar and environs
Post Info TOPIC: Plex Moss, Downholland Moss, Altcar and environs
John O'Neill


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Plex Moss, Downholland Moss, Altcar and environs
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Plex Moss
Station Rd
2 F type Marsh Harriers hunting together in field a tractor was busy in (sowing ?) I think these were an adult F and a juv.
Plenty of gulls here too, and a vocal Heron.
F Kestrel hopping between hay-stack rolls in adjacent field.
Groups of Ref Legged Partridge.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Rd
4 Wheatear in stubble and up on Haystack rolls. Active.


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Rd
1 each of Buzzard , Kestrel and Marsh Harrier hunting over the cereal fields. Harrier looked like a juvenile female.

Small party of fledged Skylarks chasing the adult birds.

1 Corn Bunting singing.



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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Rd
2 Tree Sparrow
1 Sky Lark
1 Corn Bunting
2 Red Legged Partridge

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Rd 5:45pm

Pair Yellow Wagtails
2 m Corn Buntings
1 m Yellowhammer
at least 1 Tree Sparrow
1 Buzzard


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Rd 5:30 pm

Hobby shot through, low over , to a chorus of alarm calls from resident Oystercatchers

F Yellow Wagtail on one of the weird "pill box" concrete structures here

Stock Dove

Corn Bunting heard singing


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Station Road

2 Corn Bunting in song

Buzzard been crowded ,not really mobbed, by two blackbirds in a dead tree


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss Rd

3 m Corn Buntings singing on wires

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

4 Wheatear
2 White Wagtail

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

4 Wheatear in field being ploughed Plex Moss Farm

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Loose flock of waders in field by Gettern Farm made me think "whimbrels " but, after a closer look they were Curlews, 20+ feeding in the turned soil. Nice to see, very rufous birds, undoubtedly migrants on the way through.. couldn't find any whimbrel amongst them but flock was v flighty.

Corn Bunting flock up to 10/12 birds.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

No migrants seen this afternoon but 5 Corn Bunting the most I 've seen here. Small flock on roadside bush, one singing.
Plenty of Red Legged Partridge.
Stock Doves in fields.


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Rob Creek


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Monday 28th March

Asmall, Halsall, Plex Moss area whilst driving from Ormskirk to Ainsdale, and then back to Ormskirk. All birds seen whilst driving but obviously I did stop to confirm what I'd seen.

-Gulls...a few of the surrounding ploughed fields contained lots of Gulls. Quite possibly a few 100 Gulls in one field alone, vast majority being Common Gulls, with a few Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed, but further along one of the fields had lots of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in it.
-Woodpigeon again 100's of them.
-Rook and Jackdaw everywhere
-Common Buzzard 3
-Kestrel
-Mistle Thrush 5
-Red-legged Partridge 1
-Oystercatcher 6 (3 x 2)
-Skylark 6 flying low at side of the wagon, I slowed down and put the window down and could hear them calling, then I realised there were quite a few more as they dropped down into the field.
-a few small finch flocks around still, seemed to be mainly Goldfinch


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

m Stonechat perched up on bush exactly same spot as corn bunting y/day

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

Single Corn Bunting perched up on top of roadside bushes

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Mark Jarrett


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Drive along Plex Moss Lane this afternoon en route to Lunt Meadows. Two Corn Bunting seen on wires just past Gettern Farm. A flock of around twenty Reed Bunting nearby along with thirty or so Fieldfare in adjacent fields. Twenty Pink footed Goose over. A few Lapwing also seen.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

Red Legged Partridge; Flock of Lapwing in fields.

A resplendently colourful m Golden Pheasant in road outside Plex Moss Farm was probably slightly suspect as a genuine wild bird !!

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

Pink-footed Geese have arrived in numbers here. Prob 1000 birds in fields and flying out.

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 12th of October 2015 09:45:08 PM

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss Rd
Single Corn Bunting on wires

Several House Martin .

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

F Marsh Harrier v close to road hawking low over cereal fields.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss


Plex Moss Rd

M Great Spotted Woodpecker climbing up telegraph pole on roadside.

Flocks of Swallows on wires

4 Mistle Thrush in field

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 17th of September 2015 09:59:53 PM

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Close prolonged views of a juv Hobby perched up on a haystack along Station Rd. Eventually it shot off after some passing swallows.

4 Grey Partridge in small family group.

Kestrel on post.



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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Marsh Harrier (f) soaring v low over fields finally landing.

Corn Bunting singing (more or less) on wires

1 Grey Partridge

15+Red Leg Partridge in flock

1 Kestrel

Plenty of Swallows on wires



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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Yesterday
Pair Whinchat showing well on wooden posts at side of road near Gettern Farm. Active ,flitting down onto thistles.

No sign today.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

2 Corn Buntings on wires.

One singing.

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Simon Gough


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The Corn Buntings were singing territorially I think, rather than calling. Where we stopped first, on Carr Moss Lane just outside Ainsdale, a bird was up on a wire singing, facing north. When a second joined in 100 yards or so away behind it, the first bird turned to face it and carried on singing. Great to watch with the sun shining. Rob got some good photos of the original singer, one or two with the open beak, extraordinary thing it is.

We stopped at Green Kettle Farm and picked up the Partridges, initially we wanted to find some Yellowhammer and it was one of those moments, we saw the hedges, stopped the car and on cue a male bird flew up to a perch. The other was definitely a female. Interestingly, the male wasn't singing, presumably already paired up, whereas we'd had 5 singing Corn Buntings at 3 separate locations, all up on wires jangling away. Another interesting bit of tailored species behaviour maybe, or just one of those things...

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Rob Creek


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Yesterday afternoon after visiting Marshside, with Simon Gough.

A cracking decision to take the narrow farm lanes route via Car Moss Lane, Plex Moss area, Halsall and Asmall.
We stopped a few times for some cracking sightings.

Corn Bunting - 7
1 heard at side of the road and seen relocating down in the ploughed field near a single Common Gull. But this one had disappeared after we'd parked up and walked back.
We drove on but not long to wait and we got 2 more on separate power lines calling to each other, we parked up again and got excellent views of both, and another 4 to boot. We made it 7 for the area, plus the other at Martin Mere.
Stand out features were its loud jingling call and its crazy shaped inner bill with that angled cut-out as it met the mouth.

Yellowhammer - 2 (same area as above)
1m in a small tree at roadside, bright yellow head with the dark markings, and presumably a female (although not certain) that just didn't appear as bright and was a bit plainer.

Grey Partridge - 3 (same area as above)
Firstly a pair flew over the track and dropped into the vegetation, eventually flushed and flew towards the end of the field where they still felt uneasy and were running in little bursts. Another one appeared and kept bobbing its orange head up, think it was a male. That too eventually ran off.

Red-legged Partridge - 4 (same area as above)
Nowhere near as timid as the Greys. Both pairs we saw at fairly close range, one pair a lot closer than the other, and even though they clearly knew we were there they made no attempt to run off or fly and we got prolonged views of the fantastic plumage.

Also in virtually the same area
-Pheasant
-couple of Meadow Pipit
-Skylarks singing above, and few on ground
-Lots of Goldfinch
-Some Greenfinch
-a few House Sparrow
-2 Common Buzzard
-Some Rooks present
-2 Mistle Thrush
-lots of Blackbird
-Lapwing
-A few Oystercatcher
-4 or 5 Greylag Goose in next field
-2 Mallard
-1 Great Tit
-lots of Woodpigeon
-Collared Dove
-few Swallows around with Common Swift too
-sadly no Hobbies though
-a Whitethroat (heard only)
-a Cuckoo (heard distantly)

Enjoyable and interesting time around this area, and I remember reading Jonathan Platt's post of nearby Bickerstaffe (see thread) stating good farmland birding to be had. Exactly what myself and Simon had in this area.



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Rob Creek


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Delivering in Southport so took part of my tacho break near Great Altcar around 1pm

Literally within a few minutes walk from the wagon at the edge of a field I'd seen...
3 Tree Sparrow
2 Linnet
Few Goldfinch
Few Greenfinch
2 Oystercatcher
2 Lapwing
1 Common Buzzard (circling)
1 Shelduck
3 Mallard
2 Greylag (over)
1 Whitethroat
Few Woodpigeon
Few Jackdaws
Plenty of Common Swift and Swallows around, was hoping for a Hobby but not to be

On the way into Southport earlier today further down the same road there were lots of Lesser Black-backed Gulls feeding in a field that had just been ploughed by the looks of it
Cheers

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 14th of May 2015 03:32:37 PM

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
4 White Wagtails in ploughed field past Plex Moss Farm

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss 5.00pmish
1 Whimbrel quite distant, in field with public footpath running along it ,past Gettern Farm
4 Wheatear
2 Stock Dove

2 Large tractors energetically spraying ploughed fields


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Rob Creek


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On way back from Southport, I took the scenic route through Great Altcar to see what was about.

2 Red-legged Partridge
Lots of Pheasant
2 Sparrowhawk circling together
1 Kestrel
Plenty of House Sparrow
Lots of Woodpigeon
few Sand Martins over the hedges
2 House Martins also


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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
2 Sand Martins with Swallows on wires
2 Stock Doves
Big flock of Linnets
Several Red Legged Partridge

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Jonathan Platt


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90+ Corn buntings on telegraph wires above stubble field this afternoon. Dicconsons Lane, Clieves Hills.

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Pete Welch


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Crossed Plex Moss this afternoon after kite flying on the beach was hampered by sandstorms! Thousands of Pink Feet were feeding on the stubble fields and the roadside and field margins held hundreds of Red Legged Partridge and pheasants - released for winter shoots I guess. Kestrels on the wires and small flock of Corn Bunting of note - oh and they've fixed the road - it no longer takes a 4x4 to get down it...

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
2 Wheatears roadside/field just past Plex Moss Farm
Loads of Red Legged Partridges in flocks of 10/15


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John O'Neill


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PLEX MOSS
3 Whimbrel in 2 fields between Plex Moss Farm and Gettern Farm. 2 were in v deep ploughed furrows in field..so deep the birds were completely submerged.
3 Wheatear 2m 1 f
2 Oystercatcher
Corn Bunting singing

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sid ashton


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Returned home from Southport via Plex Moss - of interest two very well dressed Golden Plover, several Red-legged Partridge and a single Corn Bunting were seen between Gettern and Plex Moss Farms.

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John O'Neill


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PLEX MOSS
Fields round Plex Moss Farm

10 Whimbrel
2 Corn Buntings
30+Wheatear

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John Watson


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25 Whimbrel y'day 17:30

Also, 30+ RL Partridge, 10+ Grey Partridge - never seen so many!

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

9 Whimbrel in loose flock feeding in field between Gettern and Plex Moss Farms. Some v close to road .


Grey and Red Legged Partridges.


Small flock of Shelduck flying around.


2 pair of Oystercatcher.

Also a Brown Hare.

-- Edited by John O'Neill on Friday 2nd of May 2014 01:47:33 AM

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
3 Wheatear, 1m 2f in ploughed field just over railway bridge.

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss

Evening
20+ Red Legged Partridge
1 Grey Partridge
Numerous Pheasant
15 Fieldfare in trees

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Chris Harper


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Sat 15 Feb at 1.30:
Barn Owl hunting from bridge over railway line on road towards Downholland Moss
8 Red Legged Partridge

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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
2 young Grey Partridge on roadside
At least 2 Yellowhammers singing on posts
1 Corn Bunting


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Jon Bowen


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Visit first thing this morning in the hope of stumbling across Dotterel on considerably flatter terrain than Pendle Hill, unfortunately no avail.

That said area was fantastic with great views of
Yellowhammer
Whitethroat
Blackcap
Reed Bunting
10 + Wheatear
Linnet
Lapwing
Red Legged Partridge & Pheasant everywhere
Skylark in full song
Buzzard getting mobbed by a crow
Kestrel

Cuckoo heard but not seen.
Single Whimbrel seen at Plex Moss



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John O'Neill


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Plex Moss
Single Whimbrel in ploughed field opposite Gettern Farm.

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John Williams


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15-30

Altcar by B5195

1 female Marsh Harrier, 4 Swallows resting on wires by a roadside farm.

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John Williams
sid ashton


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I was at Great Altcar this morning from 08.00 to 12.00 and reckon I had very distant views of the Montagu's Harrier perched on a telegraph post next to the Alt, SE of the B5195. Problem was it was about 800m away in hazy conditions with the sun shining from behind it - not easy. It flew off the post a couple of times and the silhouette was Harrier like but not sufficient for me to positively ID the bird.

Also present of interest;- Red legged Partridge, Buzzards, young Kestrels, Corn Buntings singing from the overhead wires, a female Wheatear in the potatato field and a brown Hare.

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Ian McKerchar


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Male Montagu's Harrier at Great Altcar, showing well by minor road between Alt bridge and B5195 at 2:10pm.

Info thanks to Phil Rhodes

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 10th of June 2012 02:43:36 PM

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John O'Neill


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RE: Plex Moss, Downholland Moss and environs
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Plex Moss
No Whimbrels this afternoon. 2 Wheatears in ploughed field near Gettern Farm. Corn Bunting on wires. Several Red Legged Partridge.

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